The original date of publication for my blog about WOKA was January 1, 2024, and I mentioned that I had the goal of returning to WOKA, when it was warmer, so that I could actually experience going through the whitewater, in a kayak. I achieved my goal, and this updated blog tells about that experience, which took place on July 15, 2024. I was the first customer at the park that day, so I was able to park my white car very close to the rental concession:.jpg)
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Y arrived shortly thereafter, and also got a close parking space. The parking fee to enter WOKA is ten dollars, no matter how many people are in your vehicle, so if you want to reduce your expenses, carpooling is a consideration before you enter the park. 
The first employee I talked to upon entering the park, was very helpful in telling me what I needed to know to get started. She is wearing one of the many logo items available for purchase at the park concession booth. 
This photo shows my WHOyaker friends lining up to pay the rental fees and sign the waiver, that each individual must sign. Check the website at www.VisitWOKA to find out the current rental prices. All rentals come with a helmet and a life jacket, because no one can enter the water channel unless they have on a helmet, lifejacket, and secure footware. The park only accepts credit cards for payments--no cash or checks.
This photo below was taken from in front of the concession booth, closer to the water's edge. One can see my white car in the background. By having such a close parking spot, there was no need to pay the six dollar fee to rent secure storage for valuable items, as I could keep them in my car.
By arriving before 10 am, the sun was still somewhat low in the sky, so it gave a silver shimmer to the flowing waters of the whitewater park.
If one has their own whitewater-designed watercraft, life vest, and helmet--then no rental equipment would be necessary. Notice that the kayak in the photo below is a very short one, and the paddler is enclosed and surrounded by an "apron", that makes it possible for him to roll over, then paddle his way back to the upright position. It is not something I want to attempt!
By arriving before 10 am, the sun was still somewhat low in the sky, so it gave a silver shimmer to the flowing waters of the whitewater park.
If one has their own whitewater-designed watercraft, life vest, and helmet--then no rental equipment would be necessary. Notice that the kayak in the photo below is a very short one, and the paddler is enclosed and surrounded by an "apron", that makes it possible for him to roll over, then paddle his way back to the upright position. It is not something I want to attempt!
Notice the paddler is completely submerged, in photo below: (thankfully, he was able to get himself upright!) Those who want to practice this maneuver frequently, are probably those who take advantage of season passes to the park. 
Photo below is taking from center of walk way, and is looking towards the take out point. The sign says not to drag your kayak. Back home, I am able to carry my kayak, as it is very light. However, that was not the case for the WOKA inflatable kayak I rented. It was much heavier and bulkier. Since I am so short, I could not keep it off the ground by holding it with one hand, the way I can do for my kayak back home. I soon found out it takes two people to walk the kayak back to the start of the rapids!
Photo below is from the halfway point, looking upstream towards the beginning of the rapids. I read it is about a 1200 foot distance, which amounts to around one fourth mile. The ride down the waterway in your watercraft is great fun---the walk on the concrete (carrying your kayak!) back to the start---not so much.
In the photo below, one can see a blue round raft at the top of the waterfall on the right. There is a blue single-person kayak at the top of the waterfall on the left.
Photo below shows the type of inner tube and inflatable kayak that is available for rent at WOKA.
All of us crowded into one of the large, round rental rafts for a group photo. However, when this raft went down the waterway, there was never more than three adult ladies in it, and only one of the ladies had a paddle. We took turns trying it out, and it was definitely a thrill ride going over the waterfalls!
Photo below is taking from center of walk way, and is looking towards the take out point. The sign says not to drag your kayak. Back home, I am able to carry my kayak, as it is very light. However, that was not the case for the WOKA inflatable kayak I rented. It was much heavier and bulkier. Since I am so short, I could not keep it off the ground by holding it with one hand, the way I can do for my kayak back home. I soon found out it takes two people to walk the kayak back to the start of the rapids!
Photo below shows the type of inner tube and inflatable kayak that is available for rent at WOKA.
All of us crowded into one of the large, round rental rafts for a group photo. However, when this raft went down the waterway, there was never more than three adult ladies in it, and only one of the ladies had a paddle. We took turns trying it out, and it was definitely a thrill ride going over the waterfalls!
I was the first one to complete reading/signing the electronic waiver, and paying the rental fee, and hence, the first one to shoot the rapids in the inflatable kayak. The park employee advised me before I started, NOT to raise my arms above my head holding the paddle in a victorious gesture, when I was going over the waterfalls. She said I had a much better chance of making it through upright, if I kept my arms and paddle low, and thus keep my center of gravity low. I did as she suggested, but as soon as I successfully completed the course, I was raising my arms in gratitude! (Thank you to K for taking the photo below of me!)
K also took this photo of three of our ladies coming down in the round raft. Notice there is only one paddle in the group.
I had been watching the live cam on the WOKA website several days previous to our visit, and I noticed that sometimes two people were carrying two kayaks, as shown by two of our WHOyakers in photo below. Other times, two people were carrying one kayak and one innertube. To get the giant round rafts back to the starting point, most people were turning them on their side and rolling them.
K also took this photo of three of our ladies coming down in the round raft. Notice there is only one paddle in the group.
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This is another photo K took of me, expressing thanks to God that I was able to have this experience with a group of wonderful friends! It gave me "MILES OF SMILES'1
Remainder of photos are from 2023 "pre visit"
The photo below shows the entry gate cars must go through, to enter the park. It only accepts credit cards, as the park is listed as a "cashless" facility. As you can see from the photo I took through my windshield, it was raining on the day that I went, but the park does not close just because it is raining. However, on busy days when the weather is nice, there will be many visitors. To prevent the park from becoming dangerously overcrowded, the gate will not open when the parking lot is full.
I was the only one in the park that day, so this gentleman had time to come out and give me a tour. His name is Jared Skaggs, Director of Outdoor Experience. This waterpark is a result of a cooperative working arrangement between the city of Siloam Springs (www.siloamsprings.com), and the Grand River Dam Authority (www.GRDA.com).
The rain drops clinging to one of the hand rails on upper viewing platform, serve as a frame for the waters flowing in the distance. Rain does not prevent the park from being open to visitors, UNLESS, there is so much rain that the Illinois River is in flood stage. The water level of the river is shown in real time, on the WOKA website (www.visitwoka.com).
This is the view from the rooftop, when looking towards the beginning of the rapids. WOKA is a 1200 foot long, 100 foot wide, side channel of the Illinois River, and features 8 drops/whitewater features.
The photo below shows the rapids, and boulders, that one must navigate to get to the end of the water park. These obstacles might be thought of as "trials of many kinds" to challenge one's paddling navigational skills on rough water. So I am using this as the visual aid for one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses that says, "Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4
Photo below shows the picnic tables and Adirondack chairs on the rooftop viewing area of the railroad cars. Visitors may bring outside food and drink, but no alcohol. This would be a very scenic location for a picnic in nicer weather!
The second railroad car also has an appropriate message, since the park is located on a "channel" of the Illinois River! Likewise, a paddler needs to "channel" their concentration to make it though these challenging water features!
The second railroad car also has an appropriate message, since the park is located on a "channel" of the Illinois River! Likewise, a paddler needs to "channel" their concentration to make it though these challenging water features!
There are placards that show the elevation drops of the rapids, so that paddlers can know what exciting challenges await them!
WOKA is located in an area that used to be called Lake Francis, which was created by a dam across the Illinois River. There were numerous issues with the dam, so eventually, it was taken out. The orange balls on the left of this photo mark the boundary of the remains of Lake Francis, that leads to the remains of the former dam.
Photo below shows former Lake Francis Dam, that has been modified to "stair step" down to river below, so that if a paddler accidentally were to go over it, there is no strong undertow that might cause a drowning hazard. Speaking of drowning, there are NO LIFEGUARDS at the park. Each person is responsible for their own safety. Life jackets, secure footware, and helmets are REQUIRED. (This translates to "no flipflops".) One can bring their own kayak, IF it is designed for whitewater. Rental kayaks, standup paddleboards, helmets, and round intertubes are available for rental in season. Lifejackets are included with all rentals.
Paddlers know where to get out by this exit flag, which is very helpful!
There is a very wide slab at the takeout location, which can accommodate more than one visitor at a time.
This is the only sign you will see, as you are traveling south of Siloam Springs, on Highway 59, to alert you to the place you need to turn off the highway to drive to the park.
Before visiting, you will want to take a close look at the safety rules, and other tips, that are available on their website at www.visitwoka.com Some of these guidelines are shown in photo at end of this blog.
The physical address of the park to put in your navigation system is 474986 Twin Falls Road, Watts, Oklahoma. Their email is woka@grda.com and the phone is 918-610-9652.
A visit to this new attraction in the Ozarks gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!!
The tip of the kayak I had rented from the park is shown in this photo. I was trying to get a photo to put on a favorite Facebook page I follow, called "Look at the Front of My Kayak". The site lets people post photos of what the view is from the tip of their kayak and beyond---no "selfies" allowed on this page! It is fascinating to see the scenery kayakers enjoy, on their paddling excursions around the world!
Before we started, our leaders had told us that we would stop occasionally, and "raft up", to hear the leader share some interesting comments about what we were observing. To "raft up", each kayaker just holds on to the boat beside them. 
Along our paddling route, we passed some "GEO FLOATS", like the one in this photo. They are numbered, and there is a directory at the Visitor Center that gives an explanation of the significant geological formation that each float designates.
The little orange box attached to this kayak is a "GO PRO" , waterproof video camera that can be used to record action sports, without interfering with the user's hands. The video camera had a remote control device that the kayaker attached to his belt, so it could easily be turned on and off, without touching the camera. 
Since Lake Ouachita is the largest man made lake within Arkansas borders, it is not surprising to see sail boats out in the main channels. The lake covers 40,000 acres and has 975 miles of shoreline. It has been named one of the cleanest lakes in America!
Our group stopped on an island to have lunch, after a couple of hours of paddling. The blue line shown on the right of this photo is connected to the pontoon boat that accompanied us, carrying our camping gear, cookware, and food supplies.
As we "broke bread together", I was DELIGHTED that the sandwich bar choices included my personal favorite----Nature's Own bread, with just 40 calories per slice! YEA! Other items available included a variety of deli sandwich meats, condiments, lettuce, tomatoes, chips, cookies, and beverages. Plus, a great advantage of this particular event the park sponsors, is that the big boat that accompanies us is equipped with a "Port-A-Potty"!
Since the weather we had was absolutely fantastic, no rain covering was needed, so this person's tent was taking advantage of the pleasant breeze, while at the same time keeping out insects. 
One lady in the group did not want to sleep directly on the ground, so she chose a tent style that would fit on top of her very wide cot. She said she had a very comfortable night, and never rolled off the edge of the cot!
I liked the twinkly lights inside this tent. There was no electricity on the island, so all our lights were battery operated. ( For those people who do not have a tent, you can rent them from the state park. )
Our leader, Kayla---accompanied by Jill in her yellow inflatable kayak---took an exploratory paddle trip after supper, to an adjoining island. 
The rest of us relaxed around our camp circle, satisfied by the delicious catered BBQ meal that Kayla's husband had delivered to us, via power boat. The food was from Stubby's, a well-known and popular Hot Springs restaurant. 
Before it got totally dark, a campfire was started---without matches---just to demonstrate that it WAS possible! Several of us offered up matches we had brought with us, but the staff was determined to do it "cave-man" style!
And the "Icing on the Cake", was the campfire standby of the class " S-'mores ", as in "I want some more!" Who can turn down the opportunity to toast marshmallows!
This photo shows Kayla's husband, who brought his guitar, so we could sing a few campfire tunes. He had a large repertoire of songs, and allowed us to make requests of whatever we wanted to hear. Even though I sound like a crow when I sing, it was fun belting out the lyrics to some old familiar choruses from the past!
The lake level was a bit higher than normal, which accounts for the grasses along the shoreline being partially covered. This life-saver ring with the park name on it, is a reminder for me to mention that their website is 
This photo shows one of our kayak participants, who is a seasoned camper, and likes to help others also enjoy time in the outdoors. He has tutorials on outdoor equipment, as well as records of his explorations, on his website at 
It was fun seeing people on this trip, that I had met on previous trips a few years ago. Deanna and some of her family/friends from the Dallas area, have been coming up to Lake Ouachita State Park for several years, to participate in the kayak camp out. 
The very first overnight kayaking/campout event the park sponsored over a decade ago, was led by a staff member who was not a coffee drinker, and was unaware how important morning coffee is to those who are used to it. He told the story of how that first trip, when his campers woke up and discovered there was no coffee, got in their kayaks and paddled immediately to the closest marina, abandoning him on the island to contemplate his "oversight"! The situation has been fully remedied since then, with a WONDERFUL setup for fresh brewed coffee, as well as steaming hot water for tea or instant oatmeal. KUDOS TO THE "KOFFEE KREW"!
Other items on the breakfast table included orange juice, assorted fresh fruit, packaged granola bars, instant cereals, and peanut butter.
In addition, in what might be called a "Dutch-oven Cooking Demonstration", Kayla cooked sausage, and Tim cooked scrambled eggs. We then put these on flour tortillas, to make breakfast burritos. They were delicious!
We once again enjoyed relaxing around the campfire, as we swapped stories about our outdoor life experiences. Later, we all packed up our tents, loaded the pontoon boat, and got back in our kayaks, to start the six-mile paddle back to our starting point. If a reader thinks they could not paddle six miles, do not be concerned. Anyone who wants to, can load their kayak into the pontoon boat, and ride it back to the marina, instead of paddling the entire distance. Likewise, in the past when the weather or wind was threatening, the staff loaded all the kayaks into the pontoon boat to return them safely to shore. If you have ever been paddling on "unfriendly" water during a weather event, you can appreciate this "power boat" option!
This photo of the back of Jill's boat, shows the wheels of the cart she uses to haul it in and out of the water wherever she goes. She travels alone (except for the little doggie, Logan, you can see), so she said she needs the wheels to assist in those maneuvers.
The 
A nice feature of this event is that the staff has "walkie-talkie" devices that allow them to communicate with the driver of the pontoon boat, as well as the staff member at the front of the kayak paddling caravan communicating with the staff member at the back of the kayak paddling caravan.
The 
The island where we stopped on the way back was famous because it is literally covered in quartz crystal rocks! It was fun to roam the narrow island, looking for a pure crystal specimen!
I want to say a big THANK YOU to the park staff that made our event so enjoyable! I can highly recommend this outing to both beginners and advanced kayakers/campers, as all skill levels can be accommodated.
As I was preparing my gear for this event, I was also doing a First Place 4 Health Bible study ( 
